ject of the legends of neighbouring
peasants, woe (according to their account) to the luckless wight, who
should venture to cross it alone on horseback during the night, for no
soon will he have entered its darksome precincts, than a horrible
decapitated spectre in the shape of a former squire Paulett, disregarding
all prayers or menaces, leaps behind him on his good steed, and
accompanies the affrighted traveller to the opposite boundaries.--The
celebrated St. Leonard also, through whose efficacious prayers

"The adders never stynge,
Nor ye nyghtyngales synge,"

in its gloomy mazes is often the theme of the cottagers fire side
conversation.

But neither ghost, nor cast iron, nor saint Leonard himself, have gained
for this forest so much celebrity as its famous DRAGON, or serpent! This
venemous reptile, which some persons have rendered into some obnoxious
proprietor, has been honoured with a long and minute description in the
following account.

"True and wonderful, A discourse relating to a strange monstrous
serpent or dragon, lately discovered, and yet living to the great
annoyance and divers slaughters both of men and cattle by his strong
and violent poyson, in St. Leonard's forest, and thirtie miles from
London, this present month of August, 1614, with the true generation
of serpents. Printed at London by John Trundle 1614.

In Sussex there is a pretty market towne, called Horsam, neare unto a
forest called St Leonard's forest, and there in a vast unfrequented
place, heathie, vaultie, full of unwholesome shades and overgrown
hollowes, where this serpent is thought to be bred; but wheresoever
bred, certaine and too true it is, that there it yet lives. Within
three or four miles compass are its usual haunts, oftentimes at a
place called Faygate, and it hath been seene within half a mile of
Horsam, a wondre no doubt most terrible and noysome to the
inhabitants thereabouts. There is always in his tracke or path, left
a glutinous and slimy matter (as by a small similitude we may
perceive in a snail) which is very corrupt and offensive to the
scent, in so much that they perceive the air to be putrified withall,
which must needs be very dangerous: for though the corruption of it
cannot strike the outward parts of a man, unless heated into blood,
yet by receiving it in at any of our breathing organs, (the nose or
mouth)